Reading Passage 1: The Thylacine
Appearances and behavior
1- ate an entirely ……… diet
The answer is TRUE.
In paragraph one, there are 56 hill figures scattered around England, with the vast majority on the chalk downlands of the country’s southern counties.
2- probably depended mainly on …… when hunting
The answer is NOT GIVEN.
In paragraph two, the figures include giants, crosses, and regimental badges.
3- last evidence in mainland is a 3100-year-old …….
The answer is TRUE.
In paragraph two, the White Horse has recently been re-dated and shown to be even older than its previously assigned ancient pre-Roman Iron Age.
5- reduction in ……. and available sources of food were partly responsible for decline in Tasmania
The answer is FALSE.
In paragraph two, more controversial is the date of enigmatic Long Man of Wilmington in Sussex.
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1? Write True, False or Not Given
6- Significant numbers of thylacines were killed by humans from 1830s onwards.
The answer is Ridgeway.
In paragraph four, the horse is situated 2.5 km from Uffington village on a steep slope close to the Late Bronze Age (c. 7th century BCE) hillfort of Uffington Castle and below the Ridgeway, a long-distance Neolithic track.
7- Several thylacines were born in zoos during late 1800s.
The answer is documents.
In paragraph five, the earliest evidence of a horse at Uffington is from the 1070s CE when ‘White Horse Hill’ is mentioned in documents from the nearby Abbey of Abingdon.
8- John Gould’s prediction about the thylacine surprised some biologists.
The answer is soil.
In paragraph six, in 1995 Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) testing was carried out by the Oxford Archaeological Unit on soil from two of the lower layers of the horse’s body.
9- In the early 1900s, many scientists became worried about the possible extinction of the thylacine.
The answer is fertility.
In paragraph seven, some researchers see the horse as representing the Celtic horse goddess Epona, who was worshipped as a protector of horses and for her associations with fertility.
10- T.T. Flynn’s proposal to regime captive thylacines on an island proved to be impractical.
The answer is Rhiannon.
In paragraph seven, it is possible that the carving represents a goddess in native mythology, such as Rhiannon, described in later Welsh mythology as a beautiful woman dressed in gold and riding a white horse.
11- There were still reasonable numbers of thylacines in existence when a piece of legislation protecting the species during their breeding season was passed.
The answer is Rhiannon.
In paragraph seven, it is possible that the carving represents a goddess in native mythology, such as Rhiannon, described in later Welsh mythology as a beautiful woman dressed in gold and riding a white horse.
12- From 1930 to 1936, the only known living thylacines were all in captivity.
The answer is Rhiannon.
In paragraph seven, it is possible that the carving represents a goddess in native mythology, such as Rhiannon, described in later Welsh mythology as a beautiful woman dressed in gold and riding a white horse. 10- T.T. Flynn’s proposal to regime captive thylacines on an island proved to be impractical.
13- Attempts to find living thylacines are now rarely made.
The answer is Rhiannon.
In paragraph seven, it is possible that the carving represents a goddess in native mythology, such as Rhiannon, described in later Welsh mythology as a beautiful woman dressed in gold and riding a white horse.
Reading Passage 2:Palm Oil
14- examples of a range of potential environmental advantages of oil palm tree cultivation
The answer is F.
In paragraph F, that immensely high yield, which is predominantly what makes it so profitable, is potentially also an ecological benefit. If ten times are palm oil can be produced from a patch of land than any competing oil, then ten times more land would need to be cleared in order to produce the same volume of oil from competitor.
15- description of an organization which controls the environmental impact of palm oil production
The answer is G.
In paragraph G, the industry is now regulated by s group called the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), consisting of palm growers, retailers, product manufacturers, and other interested parties.
16- examples of the widespread global use of palm oil
The answer is A.
In paragraph A, Palm oil is an edible derived from the fruit of the American palm tree, and is currently the most consumed vegetable oil in the world. It’s almost certainly in the soap we wash with in the morning, the sandwich we have for lunch, and the biscuits we snack on during the day.
17- reference to a particular species which could benefit the ecosystem of oil palm plantations
The answer is H.
In paragraph H, Ellwood believes that reintroducing the bird’s nest fern into oil palm plantations could potentially allow these areas to recover their biodiversity, providing a home for all manner of species, from fungi and bacteria, to invertebrates such as insects, amphibians, reptiles and even mammals.
18- figures illustrating the rapid expansion of the palm oil industry
The answer is B.
In paragraph B, many farmers seized the opportunity to maximize the planting of oil palm trees. Between 1990 and 2012, the global land area devoted to growing oil palm trees grew from 6 to 17 million hectares, now accounting for around ten percent of total cropland in the entire world.
19- an economic justification for not opposing the palm industry
The answer is E.
In paragraph E, one response to the boycott movement has been the argument for the vital role palm oil plays in lifting many millions of people in the developing world out of poverty.
20- examples of creatures badly affected by the establishment of oil plantations
The answer is C.
In paragraph C, endangered species, most famously the Sumatran orangutan, but also rhinos, elephants, tigers, and numerous other fauna, have suffered from the unstoppable spread of oil palm plantations.
Choose two letters, A–E
Which TWO statements are made about the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)
In either order
B >> It demands that certified producers be open and honest about their practices.
In paragraph G, the RSPO insists upon no virgin forest clearing, transparency and regular assessment of carbon stocks, among other criteria.
C >> It took several years to establish its set of criteria for sustainable palm oil certification.
In paragraph C, over the past decade or so, an agreement has gradually been reached regarding standards that producers of palm oil have to meet in order for their product to be regarded as officially ‘sustainable’.
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
23- One advantage of palm oil for manufacturers is that it says … even when not refrigerated.
The answer is solid.
In paragraph A, primarily because unique properties, such as remaining solid at room temperature, make it an ideal ingredient for long-term preservation, allowing many packaged goods on supermarkets shelves to have ‘ best before’ dates of months, even years, into the future.
24- The ….. is the best known of the animals suffering habitat loss as a result of the spread of oil palm plantations.
The answer is (Sumatran) orangutan / orang-tan.
In paragraph C, endangered species, most famously the Sumatran orangutan, but also rhinos, elephants, tigers, and numerous other fauna, have suffered from the unstoppable spread of oil palm plantations.
25- As one of its criteria for the certification of sustainable palm oil, the RSPO insists that growers check ….. on a routine basis.
The answer is carbon stocks.
In paragraph G, the RSPO insists upon no virgin forest clearing, transparency and regular assessment of carbon stocks, among other criteria.
26- Ellwood and his researchers are looking into whether the bird’s nest fern could restore ….. in areas where oil palm trees are grown.
The answer is biodiversity.
In paragraph H, Ellwood believes that reintroducing the bird’s nest fern into oil palm plantations could potentially allow these areas to recover their biodiversity, providing a home for all manner of species, from fungi and bacteria, to invertebrates such as insects, amphibians, reptiles and even mammals.
Reading Passage 3:Building the Skyline: The Birth and Growth of Manhattan’s Skyscrapers
27. What point does Shester make about Barr’s book in the first paragraph?
The answer is D. > It covers a range of factors that affected the development of New York.
In paragraph one, the book combines geology, history, economics, and a lot of data to explain why business clusters developed where they did and how early decisions of workers and firms shaped the skyline we see today.
28. How does Shester respond to the information in the book about tenements?
The answer is B. > She indicates a potential problem with Barr’s analysis.
In paragraph three, I would have liked Barr to expand upon his claim that existing tenements prevented skyscrapers in certain neighborhoods because ‘likely no skyscraper developer was interested in performing the necessary “slum clearance”.
29. What does Shester say about chapter six of the book?
The answer is C. > It is too specialized for most readers.
In paragraph six, while less technical than the research paper on which the chapter is based, it is probably more technical than would be preferred by a general audience.
30. What does Shester suggest about the chapters focusing on the 1920s building boom?
The answer is D. > Some parts will have limited appeal to certain people.
In paragraph eight, however, they would be well-suited for undergraduates learning about the economics of cities.
31. What impresses Shester the most about the chapter on land values?
The answer is C. > the nature of the research into the topic
In paragraph nine, the data work that went into these estimations is impressive.
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
Choose Yes, No or not Given
32- The description in the first chapter of how New York probably looked from the air in the early 1600s lacks interest.
The answer is NO.
In paragraph two, Barr begins chapter one by taking the reader on a ‘helicopter time-machine’ ride – giving a fascinating account of how the New York landscape in 1609 might have looked from the sky.
33- Chapters two and three prepare the reader well for material yet to come.
The answer is YES.
In paragraph three, both chapters are informative and well researched and set the stage for the economic analysis that comes later in the book.
34- The biggest problem for many nineteenth-centry New York immigrant neighborhoods was a lack of amenities.
The answer is NOT GIVEN.
In paragraph four, Barr identifies four primary immigrant enclaves and analyzes their locations in terms of the amenities available in the area.
Nothing is mentioned on whether this was the biggest problem for many immigrants at the time or not.
35- In the nineteenth century, New York’s immigrant neighborhoods tended to concentrate around the harbor.
The answer is NO.
In paragraph four, most of these enclaves were located on the least valuable land, between the industries located on the waterfront and the wealthy neighborhoods bordering Central Park.
Complete the summary using the list of phrases, A–J, below.
The bedrock myth
36. H > The answer is SPECIFIC AREAS.
In paragraph seven, chapter seven tackles the ‘bedrock myth’, the assumption that the absence of bedrock close to the surface between Downtown and Midtown (SPECIFIC AREAS) is the reason for skyscrapers not being built between the two urban centers.
37. D > The answer is EXCESSIVE EXPENSE.
38. I > The answer is TOTAL EXPENDITURE.
In paragraph seven, Barr argues that while deeper bedrock does increase foundation costs, these costs were neither prohibitively high (EXCESSIVE EXPENSE) nor were they large compared to the overall cost (TOTAL EXPENDITURE) of building a skyscraper.
39. B > The answer is DEEP EXCAVATIONS
40. F > The answer is ASSOCIATED RISKS.
In paragraph seven, he describes the use of caissons, which enable workers to dig down for considerable distances (DEEP EXCAVATIONS), often below the water table, until they reach bedrock.
Barr’s thorough technological history discusses not only how caissons work, but also the dangers involved (ASSOCIATED RISKS).
